Two lump sum turnkey contracts to replace three key electrical generators at Abqaiq plant, Saudi Aramco's main onshore oil-processing operation, will ensure continued reliable operations at the vital facility.

The detailed design and material procurement out-of-Kingdom contract was signed with Technip Italy, SpA and the in-Kingdom construction contract was signed with Technipetrol (TPL) Arabia Ltd.

Abqaiq plant processes about six million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil. The facilities are critically linked to the operations of gas-oil separation plants in the Southern Area and the gas supply to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

The new contracts cover the replacement of the facilities' combustion gas turbine generators (CGTGs) with three new 30-megawatt CGTGs with waste heat recovery systems to provide a reliable power supply without importing electricity. The current power system is operated so that no major import of power is required except during times of generator outages.

The existing CGTGs were installed in the mid-1960s and are very expensive to maintain.

In addition, a 69-kilovolt substation will be installed to connect the new generators to Abqaiq plant's electrical system.

The project is part of an ongoing effort to modernise the electrical generation and distribution system of Abqaiq plant.